Town goalscorer Daryl Murphy admitted that the Blues could have found themselves further behind at half-time during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. Danny Collins put the visitors in front in the fourth minute with Murphy equalising 12 minutes from time as Town improved after the break.

“They dominated the first half and could have gone in three or four up," he said. "But fair play to the lads they have come out in the second half and we put them under a lot of pressure and got the goal — it was a great effort.

“I can’t put my finger on why we have been like that but I’m sure if we started games like we started the second half then we would have lot more points than we do at the moment.”

The Irishman might have netted more than once: “I could have had a couple more goals but the keeper [Karl Darlow] has done very well, especially saving one I thought was going into the top corner.

“He has also pulled off a great save from Sylvan, while I might have done better with a chance at the end.”

Murphy, who has now scored 11 goals this season, was impressed with Frank Nouble’s contribution from the bench: “Frank has come on and changed the game.

“He has taken on defenders and they do not want to see him coming at them. He has crossed the ball for my goal and that surprised even me.

“He had a shot late on and the keeper made a good save from him, so he has made a big contribution to the game after coming on.”

The 31-year-old believes the Blues can make it into the play-offs: “I believe we are good enough to be in the top six. We have confidence knowing we can always come back into the game.

“If you look back over recent years it is the team that finishes with a decent run that inevitably go up.

“A win could have seen us sneak into the top six but we are still there and with the games we have left we know we have it all to play for.

"If you had said at the start of the week we would take seven points from the three games we would have taken that, so we can’t be too down about not getting all nine.”

Forest skipper Danny Collins was delighted to net his first goal for the club against Town, with whom he spent a loan spell during 2011/12: “It was especially pleasing scoring here as I had a good time when I was on loan with Ipswich.

“I scored three goals in 16 games for them but the home fans never saw them as the goals all came away so it was good to actually score at Portman Road. It was good to finally get on the scoresheet, especially against an old club.”

Despite Forest having extended their winless run to 10 games, the 33-year-old former Wales international is confident that they can still make the play-offs and also expects the Blues to be one of the contenders come May.

“Ipswich will be among those challenging,” he added. “Mick’s a top manager. I played for him at Sunderland when we won promotion and he knows this league well.

“But we are concentrating on ourselves and we know if we can win five of the remaining seven games then we can take that sixth spot.”

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